Study on explosion reaction mechanism and energy release characteristics of HMX-based explosives containing B-Al

Abstract

To explore the application of the micro-sized B-Al (boron-aluminum) compound powder in enhanced blast explosive(EBX) and thermobaric explosive(TBX), three HMX-based explosives containing B-Al (PF-1, PF-2 and PF-3)were designed and prepared. The ignition and combustion characteristics of various samples (micro- and nano-sized B, B-Al compound powders without and with HMX) under different pressures and atmospheres were studied by a laser ignition and combustion experimental system, and the flame evolution images and emission spectral characteristic parameters of the ignition and combustion process were obtained. The structures of detonation reaction zone of ideal and non-ideal explosives were studied by PDV (photonic doppler velocimeter), and the characteristic parameters and explosion reaction mechanism of wave profile were obtained. The energy output characteristics of explosives containing B-Al were evaluated by air blast and underwater explosion test. The results show that nano-sized B has better ignition and combustion characteristics than micro-sized B; the ignition and combustion property of B-Al compound powder with HMX is obviously superior to that of B-Al compound powder. PBX-1 is an ideal explosive, and the reaction zone width is 44ns, whilePF-1 and PF-3 are typical non-ideal explosives, the reaction zone widths are 112ns and 102ns, respectively. In the air blast and underwater explosion test, under the detonation of HMX, the combustion of micro-Al can promote the afterburning effect of micro-B, which releases a great amount of combustion heat, then generates expansible products with higher temperature and pressure, and finally increases the duration of fireball and total energy in underwater explosion.